§ Tony WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the impact of the withdrawal of United States funds for reproductive health services in the developing world; and what steps have been taken to make up any shortfall. [48998]
§ Clare ShortDespite the decision of the US to withhold funds from certain organisations, the US remains a major source of support for services aimed at improving reproductive health.
Sexual and reproductive health care in developing countries continues to be a key priority for my Department. Achieving universal access to reproductive health for all by 2015 underpins our approach. Good reproductive health is of course also vital to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) related to lowering maternal mortality and combating HIV/AIDS. We are working in partnership with national Governments and key organisations to strengthen the capacity of health systems to deliver good reproductive health care and services.
My Department's total bilateral expenditure on sexual and reproductive health activities, including HIV/AIDS, has risen from £38.4 million in the financial year 1997–98 to £206.6 million in 2001–02. We also provide significant levels of funding to UNFPA, UNAIDS and WHO to support their work to improve the quantity and availability of reproductive health services.
1042W
§ Tony WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development under the Global Health Fund for fighting AIDS, what role the provision of comprehensive reproductive health services will play. [48996]
§ Clare ShortThe Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria will consider applications against the principles, scope and purpose laid out in its framework documents, which can be found at www.globalfundatm.org.
The UK believes the fund should support applications for funding for reproductive health services only where these are clearly focused on preventing or treating one or more of the three diseases. It will be important for the fund to focus on supporting interventions where global financing will be most effective and where it can add most value to existing national and international efforts. Other channels of support will be more appropriate for wider efforts against the three diseases and for support to reproductive health services more broadly.
§ Tony WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the adequacy of supplies of condoms in fighting AIDS in the developing world; and what steps are being taken to improve the supply. [48999]
§ Clare ShortEnsuring the accessibility of affordable condoms is a key priority for my Department. The UK is one of the leading bilateral providers of condoms and other forms of contraceptives in developing countries. We are also supporting a number of condom social marketing programmes which aim to make condoms accessible and affordable to the poorest. It is important that efforts meet the current and increasing need for condoms and to promote demand for condom use.
We are working closely with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to help them develop a global strategy to help governments strengthen their capacity, to ensure that by 2015 all primary health care and family planning facilities are able to provide the widest achievable range of safe and effective family planning and contraceptive methods, including condoms to prevent HIV/AIDS.
In January 2001, we provided UNFPA with a grant of £25 million to help meet immediate needs for reproductive health commodities, including condoms, in a range of countries facing shortages.